Paranoia...

You relate the events that you observed to your father, watching as his face grows more and more troubled. "We will see more of this I fear." Your father growls, suddenly looking older and more tired than you had ever seen him. "I faced a similar threat at the kings court many years ago." You get the feeling, that there is much more to the story than he is telling you. You are aware that your mother and father had lived in the capital for many years.

Your mother a lady in waiting for the queen, while your father had first been a a young and ambitious nobleman from the provinces. Then, thanks to his courage and talents as a warrior, he became a glorious military leader who led troops fighting the enemies of the kingdom.

You knew vaguely that he had been involved in courtly intrigues, that there were tales of your father having killed a number of other nobles in service to the king. "I thought I had discovered them all..." You sire whispered pulling you close, looking around wildly like he feared enemies could come out of no where. "But your mother... she was there... we were newly weds back then." His face grew first very red with a humiliated blush and then pale as his considered his next words. "Now I think perhaps a cuckoo lay its egg right here in the Hawks nest." He confessed utterly confusing you, making you wonder if your father was losing his mind. "You can trust no one... it could be anyone... anything even your most beloved family members." He pauses starring hard at you then... before looking away quickly. Asking you another obscure question about your childhood, something you have come to realize was a test not of your memory as much as your identity.

Before you can ask any questions regarding this strange situation, your father Baron Radu says in a decisive tone that brooks no argument: “In order for us to have any chance of eliminating this terrible threat, I will need to urgently leave for the city of Enrelum . Listen to me carefully, Stefan! I am **** to leave the Hawk Hill estate for a while... I will return soon with those who can help us... I will return in three days... Your task is to hold out until the day of my return, Stefan! Try to be extremely careful and vigilant! I’m leaving today, in an hour...”

"Father I don't understand." You confess as he takes out a book, shoving it into your hands before pushing you out of his tower room and locking the door behind you.

You are perplexed by your father's strange behavior. Your mind is filled with questions to which you have no answers...

You think: “Is it really so bad that we can’t solve the problem on our own? Why does the father want to go to the provincial capital of Detasperia? Does he want to ask for help from his suzerain acrotarch Vladenos? Or does he want to ask someone else for help? My father leaves me alone for three days... If this threat is so significant, then how can I hold out until my father returns?”

Pondering all these disturbing events, you go to your room, which is located on the third floor of the main building of this fortified estate.

You are sitting on your bed in your room. You decided to read the book your father gave you.

You thoughtfully turn over the pages of the book...

Looking the book over, you realize that it is one of your fathers on journals. From over forty years ago, you slowly read through the first twenty pages or so. It starts out talking about a spy and murderer in the kings court, but as it slowly goes long your fathers tiny precise writing detail some monster called a doppelganger. A monstrous humanoid, identified primarily by their ability to change their shape and appearance to mimic almost any humanoid creature. They have long, gangling limbs despite their above-average strength and agility, and pale gray skin. Their eyes resemble those of an octopus, yellow with stilted pupils, and they have no hair on any part of their body. Their facial features appear to be half-developed. They are cunning and patient, and will wait as long as it takes for an opportunity to present itself. They have the ability to Detect Thoughts, which helps them to mimic their target almost flawlessly by imitating their mannerisms and discovering information that only their target would know.

Had your father really uncovered and killed such creatures in the kings court all those years ago?

Judging by the content of the texts that you have read, these events took place about 40 years ago. Then the Triune Kingdom of Kuzos waged a bloody war in the east of its borders with the troops of the City-state of Bokra...

The king gathered troops from all the provinces... Your father was one of the leaders of the militia of the province of Detasperia. Baron Radu was then at the royal court and he participated in organizing the troops and planning the military campaign... Considering what you have read, it turns out that Baron Radu also participated in the destruction of these terrible monsters that disguised themselves among the courtiers of the royal court...

Was it possible that now one of more of those creatures was here in the castle? Did he believe Anton was one... had it been Anton taking the shape of that young Knight... just so he could sire more creatures on the fellows wife? This was all very strange and confusing to you... in your whole life the most challenge you ever had. Was escaping the lessons and responsibilities your family had laid out for you, now here was something that could not just effect your family... but the whole kingdom. Were you really up to facing such a threat? You certainly were not your father... everyone had made that perfectly plain for many years. It was a fact you had began to embrace, you were simply Stefan the third son. You would never be much... Anton would inherit the lands and titles. Doran was the great warrior of the family... you were just the screw up youngest son who debauched himself every chance he got. "You are no hero."